Challenges and Opportunities for Responsible Investment in the DRC’s Critical Minerals Sector: Civil Society Perspectives

We are pleased to invite you to our first civil society–focused convening on responsible critical minerals investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This event will bring together Congolese civil society representatives, international civil society partners, and key stakeholders to ensure that community voices are centered in conversations about responsible investment.

The discussion takes place as the United States deepens its commercial diplomacy on critical minerals, seeking to diversify global supply chains and reduce strategic dependence on adversarial suppliers. Through the U.S.-brokered Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) and the recent Doha framework peace agreement between the DRC and M23, the U.S. is supporting regional economic cooperation while encouraging private sector engagement that aligns with governance, transparency, and conflict-sensitive practices. These developments present both an opportunity and an obligation for investors to better understand community-level realities and the risks associated with sourcing in conflict-affected areas.

This convening will explore the challenges and opportunities for responsible investment in the DRC’s critical minerals sector, featuring insights from Congolese civil society leaders on transparency, accountability, and what truly constitutes conflict-sensitive investment. We hope you will join us for this important discussion. Event Details:

  • Date: December 8, 2025

  • Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 PM EST

  • Format: Virtual Webinar (Registration Required)

  • Language: English–French simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

  • Moderator: Christian-Géraud Neema, Nonresident Scholar in the Africa Program with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Speakers include:

    • Namwezi Nicole Batumike, Panzi Foundation, Gender and Responsible Sourcing Specialist

    • Boniface Umpula, The Carter Center, Senior Expert on Transparency and Governance

    • Sasha Lezhnev, The Sentry, Senior Policy Advisor

    • Additional speaker TBA

Register

Meet the Panelists:

Namwezi Nicole Batumike, Panzi Foundation
Namwezi is a Gender and Responsible Sourcing Specialist at the Congolese non-profit Panzi Foundation. She has worked on developing Panzi’s ethical jewelry brand through initiatives aimed at creating traceable and inclusive mine-to-market approaches with local and international partners. In her current role, she seeks to address the relationship between structural inequalities, Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), and the mining sector by collaborating with international stakeholders, including U.S.-based companies and policymakers. Namwezi earned a BSc in International Business Management from the University of Applied Sciences in Geneva, a Master’s degree in African Studies from the University of Oxford, and a Master’s degree in Mineral Law in Africa from the University of Cape Town.

Boniface Umpula, The Carter Center
Boniface is a senior expert on transparency and governance issues in the extractive industries. In September 2015, He joined the Carter Center's office in the DRC, where he monitors compliance by extractive companies with their social, environmental, administrative, and fiscal commitments, as well as the government's implementation of its commitments to transparency and accountability in natural resource governance, including critical minerals. Boniface is also a member of PAEMA’s DRC Advocacy Cohort.

Sasha Lezhnev, The Sentry
Sasha is a Senior Policy Advisor on U.S.- Africa policy on human rights, conflict, and corruption and has testified before the U.S. Congress and the UN Security Council. While working in Uganda, he founded the Grassroots Reconciliation Group, an award-winning NGO that has rehabilitated over 2,600 former child soldiers. He is author of the book Crafting Peace and helps lead The Sentry's engagement on conflict gold and minerals.

Panelist 3: TBA

Meet the Moderator:

Christian-Géraud Neema, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Christian-Géraud is a Nonresident Scholar in the Carnegie Africa Program. He is an expert analyst on China-Africa relations. Currently, he serves as the Africa editor of the China-Global South Project. He is a frequent commentator and contributor on China’s engagement in the mining sector in Africa and the political economy of the mining sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo for various international media and research institutions. Previously he has worked as a project manager for a Congolese mining company in the DRC and as a consultant on good governance and policy advocacy for a Jesuit research center in the same country.